Coin operated locker



July 1961 B. c. JAMES ET AL 2,991,866

COIN OPERATED LOCKER Filed May 16, 1958 BILLY 0. JAMES PHIL/P D. ME TCALF INVENTORS ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,991,866 COIN OPERATED LOCKER Billy C. James, Rte. 2, 'Grandbury, Tex., and Philip D. Metcalf, 1400 N. East St., Belton, Tex. Filed May 16, 1958, Ser. No. 735,857 3 Claims. (Cl. 194-1) This invention relates to coin operated lockers and has reference to a lock requiring a selected number of coins for the operation thereof.

Coin operated lockers are extensively used at airports, railways stations and bus terminals, and which lockers require the deposit of a coin for operating a lock and releasing a key for subsequent use when articles deposited in the locker are to be reclaimed. Such lockers are herein referred to since the same lock and key arrangement for use by a customer comprises a part of the present construction. A primary use of the invention is the depositingof clothes tobe cleaned and the return thereof .to the depositor after cleaning or pressing. However,

it is to be understood that the invention may have other uses for example, articles may be deposited for gift wrapping, repairs as in the case of small household appliances or when other services are to be performed. If necessary, written instructions may be left with the deposited articles. In accordance with the invention, and after the articles are redelivered to the locker, the service man will set a dial requiring the deposit of a selected number of coins totaling a specified amount of money before the locker may be reopened. The deposit of coins for unlocking the locker is in addition to the use of the above referred to conventional key arrangement. Depending on the service to be rendered, the present lockers may be installed, for example, in the lobbies of hotels for dry cleaning, in front of dry cleaning establishments for after hours use, or at convenient locations for other types of services.

An object of the invention is to provide a self service locker which requires the deposit of a selected number of coins by a customer before he can reopen the locker, the number of coins required being determined by the vendor of services between the time articles are placed in the locker and the time the articles are reclaimed.

Another object is to provide a unique and relatively simple lock for the described purpose.

A further object is to provide a locker of the described class which is simple and convenient in its operation.

These and other objects will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a locker embodying the features of the invention.

:FIGURE 2 is an enlarged broken elevational view of a portion of the locker illustrated in FIGURE 1 and showing the coin actuating knob and a portion of the face of the amount due dial.

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal sectional view of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged rear view of FIGURE 2. FIGURE 5 is a broken sectional view taken on line 55 of FIGURE 4.

In the drawing, the numeral generally designates a cabinet having inner and outer doors 11 and 12, one hingedly mounted within the other. is provided with a lock 13 for use by the service man and the inner door 11 is provided with a key retaining lock 14 such as used in conventional self service coin operated lockers.

The lock 15 comprising a primary feature of the invention includes an insert panel 16 in the inner door 11 on the side thereof opposite its hinges 17, and which panel has an inwardly directed flange 18 at its outer edge The outer door 12' 34 for receivingthe inner end of said bolt.

M ice and a hole 19 therein for slidably receiving a locking bolt to flange '22 has an inward projection 23 which serves as a stop for the inner door.

A coin actuating knob 24 projects from the outer surface of the panel 16 at the end thereof remote from the described panel flange 18, and which knob is operatively connected with a commercially available coin actuated lock 25 of. the type which receives a coin in its slot 26 before the knob 24 can be turned. Since such coin operated locks are standard equipment in various vending machines, the same will not be described in detail, be it suflicient to say that the same includes a circular carrier plate 27 which deposits the coin in a locked coin box 28 after the knob is turned. The shaft 29 on which the knob 24 is mounted extendsrthrough the lock 25 where the same is provided with a double rise cam 30 for actuating an escapement 31. The release of ,the bolt 20 is carried out by means of a cylindrical body. 32 mounted on a shaft 33 secured on the panel"16, and'which cylindrical body includes a notch The bolt 20 is normally urged inwardly by means of a spring 35 therearound, one end of which spring bears against the inner door flange 18 and the other end against a projecting hand grip 36. A dial 37 is secured to the inner face of the cylindrical body 32 and has indicia 38 thereon in amounts of money, and which indicia registers with a glass covered slot 39 in the face of the panel 16. An escapement wheel 40 having ratchet teeth 41 therearound is concentric with and secured to the body 32, and which teeth coact with detents 42 on each end of an escapement lever 43. A hinged arm 44 is pivotally connected at one end with the escapement lever 43 and the other end of the arm is pivotally mounted on the lock 25. A roller 45 is provided at the intermediate joint of the hinged arm 44 and which roller is positioned to be contacted and moved by the double rise cam 30. The escapement lever 43 is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on a bracket 46 on the rear face of the panel 16 and which bracket includes a pointed end 47 directed to the periphery of a rear cylindrical body cover plate 48 having indicia 49 in amounts of money required toopen the lock.

A clock spring 50 is mounted in the cylindrical body 32, one end of which is secured thereto and the other end to the stationary shaft 33. The body 32, dial 37, escapement 40 and body plate 48, which are secured together, are rotated by a knob 51 connected therewith by means of a shaft 52.

In operation, the customer opens the inner door 11 by means of the lock 14, places the articles to be serviced in cabinet 10, closes the door and takes the key with him. Later, the service man removes the articles by unlocking the outer door 12. After the service has been performed, the articles are returned through the outer door 12, at which time the body 32 is rotated to require the deposit of a number of coins, the amount of which totals the cost of the service. It is to be understood that the setting takes place while the outer door is open and the inner door is closed. For example, if the coin actuated lock 25 requires the use of twenty-five cent pieces, and the cost of the service amounts to one dollar and twentyfive cents, the teeth 41 of the escapement are set, against the action of the spring 50, to allow escapement of five teeth before the notch 34 becomes aligned with the bolt 20, after which the inner door 11 may be opened. The escapement action is carried out by reason of the cam 30 on the escapement 31.

The invention is not limited to the exemplary C0111 3 struction herein shown and described, but may be varied within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a locker having a key operated lock in the door thereof, a coin actuated lock mechanism on said door in addition to said key operated lock, said coin actuated lock mechanism including a shaft extending outwardly of said door and having a knob thereon, means receiving a coin and providing limited rotation of said shaft, a cam on said shaft inwardly of said door, a bolt in said door, a spring connected with said bolt normally urging the same to an unlocked position, a cylindrical body rotatably mounted on the inner surface of said door adjacent said bolt, a notch in said body positioned to receive the inner end of said bolt, an escapement wheel concentric with and secured to said body, an escapement lever pivotally mounted on the inner surface of said door and located for coaction with said escapement wheel, arm means connected at one end thereof with said escapement lever with an intermediate portion being positioned for coaction with said cam, and clock spring means within said body arranged to rotate said escapement Wheel in a direction for coaction with said escapement lever.

2. The construction defined in claim 1 and wherein 25 said arm means is comprised of a jointed hinged arm pivotally connected at one end with the escapement lever 4 and the other end of said arm means is pivotally connected to the inner surface of said door, the joint of said hinged arm being positioned to be contacted by said cam. 3. In a coin actuated lock mechanism wherein the latter includes a shaft eittending outwardly thereof, means receiving coin and thereby providing limited rotation of said shaft, a cam on said shaft and projecting laterally thereof, a cylindrical body rotatably mounted about an axis parallel with said shaft, a notch in said body, a bolt coplanar with said body and means urging said bolt toward said notch, an escapement wheel concentric with and secured to said body, an escapement lever pivotally mounted for coaction with said escapement wheel, arm

means connected at one end thereof with said escapement lever with an intermediate portion thereof being positioned for coaction with said cam, and clock spring means within said body arranged to rotate said escapement wheel in a direction for coaction with said escapement lever.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

